Blood glucose measurement systems typically comprise a meter that is configured to receive a biosensor, usually in the form of a test strip. Because many of these systems are portable, and testing can be completed in a short amount of time, patients are able to use such devices in the normal course of their daily lives without significant interruption to their personal routines. A person with diabetes may measure their blood glucose levels several times a day as a part of a self management process to ensure glycemic control of their blood glucose within a target range.
There currently exist a number of available portable electronic analyte measurement devices (i.e., meters) that are designed to automatically activate upon insertion of a test strip. Electrical contacts, or prongs, in the meter establish connections with contact pads on the test strip while a microcontroller in the meter determines, based on electrical signals from the test strip, whether the test strip is properly inserted. Unless the test strip is inserted in a proper orientation, however, the device will not activate or, in addition, it may display an error message until the test strip is properly reinserted. This effort may present difficulty for some users who might struggle to correctly orient the test strip prior to insertion, particularly if the test strip is difficult to handle.
It would be beneficial to have a test strip that could be inserted into a test meter in a multitude of orientations so that the user does not have to focus on strip orientation when using the test meter. Such a test strip would also reduce the amount of training required for a user to learn to properly operate the test meter.